Monthly Archives: April 2026

Quiz for May 19, 2026

Civil War Quiz: What Do You Know About Philip Sheridan?

Q#1 – Where was Philip Sheridan born?

Q#2 – Why did Sheridan earn the nickname “Little Phil”?

Q#3 – What were the circumstances that led to Sheridan being nominated to attend West Point by U.S. Congressman Thomas Ritchey?

Q#4 – In his fourth year at West Point, why was Sheridan suspended for a year?

Q#5 – In 1853, where did Sheridan rank among the graduating cadets from West Point?

Q#6 – How did Sheridan initially gain experience leading combat units and developing diplomatic negotiating skills?

Q#7 – While serving in the Pacific Northwest, what romantic affair was Sheridan involved in?

Q#8 – In the fall of 1861, what was Sheridan’s first assignment during the Civil War?

Q#9 – After the Battle of Stones River (December 31, 1862–January 2, 1863), how did Sheridan earn his promotion to Major General?

Q#10 – During the Battle of Chattanooga on November 25, 1863, what did Sheridan tell his troops to encourage them to charge up Missionary Ridge?

Q#11 – In the spring of 1864, Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, General-in-Chief of all the Union armies, appointed Sheridan to command the Cavalry Corps of the Army of the Potomac. But Sheridan was not Grant’s first choice — who was?

Q#12 – In 1864, Sheridan, as commander of the Army of the Shenandoah, initiated scorched-earth tactics that presaged those of Sherman’s March to the Sea, designed to deny the Confederacy a base of operations in the Shenandoah Valley. What name did Southerners give to this scorched-earth policy?

Q#13 – After the Civil War, Sheridan was assigned to the western territories, specifically tasked with “pacifying” Native Americans. He had been accused of being unnecessarily cruel and bent on extermination. Various newspapers covering the Indian Wars quoted Sheridan as stating, “The only good Indian is a dead Indian.” Is it fact or fiction that Sheridan made this statement?

Q#14 – In 1871, Sheridan was present in Chicago during the Great Chicago Fire. What official role was he assigned?

Q#15 – In Yellowstone Park, there is a mountain peak overlooking the Heart Lake area named Mount Sheridan. Why was the mountain named for Sheridan?

Meeting of July 28, 2026

Join us at 6:30 PM, July 26, at Jack’s Restaurant & Bar, located at the Northwest corner of the Westgate Shopping Mall in San Jose, near Campbell (1502 Saratoga Ave, San Jose, CA 95129) and via ZOOM. This month’s topic is

Tonya McQuade on “Mary Brown, the Wife of John Brown”

What is a wife to do after her husband is hanged for treason?

Much has been written about the abolitionist John Brown—his role in the “Bleeding Kansas” border wars and his ill-fated raid on Harpers Ferry. His prophetic dying words foretold the bloodshed of the Civil War, and his hanging outside Charles Town, Virginia, followed by his burial in North Elba, New York, made national headlines and drew large crowds.

Far less attention has been given to John Brown’s wife, Mary, and how she and their surviving children rebuilt their lives in the years after his death. How many people know, for example, that Mary and several of her children moved to California in 1864 and eventually settled in Saratoga, on the western edge of Santa Clara County?

It was in Saratoga that Mary Brown spent the final years of her life. She now rests with sixteen other family members at Madronia Cemetery—thousands of miles from where her husband’s body “lies a-mouldering” in North Elba, New York.

Join us to learn more about Mary Brown’s later life, her California connections, and her family’s West Coast legacy.

Tonya McQuade is an author, educator, speaker, and retired high school English teacher. She is a passionate lover of history, travel, and nature. She and her husband frequently visit museums, state and national parks, and historical sites, and she enjoys reading historical texts and primary source documents.

Often, her reading of historical fiction sparks a deeper dive into the real people and events behind the stories, leading her to new discoveries and areas of interest.

After acquiring 50 family Civil War letters, Tonya began intensive research into the American Civil War in Missouri. She blogs about her writing journey and has written multiple articles for the Emerging Civil War website, including two that focus on Mary Brown and her family’s move to California.

Her book, A State Divided: The Civil War Letters of James Calaway Hale and Benjamin Petree of Andrew County, Missouri (2024), weaves together those family letters with historical commentary. It also explores John Brown’s role in the “Bleeding Kansas” border wars and his prophetic words about the coming Civil War before his execution for treason following the raid on the federal arsenal at Harpers Ferry.

Tonya is a member of the South Bay Civil War Round Table, South Bay Writers, Poetry Center San Jose, and the National League of American Pen Women. She earned B.A. degrees in English and Communication Studies, along with her Single Subject Teaching Credential in English, from the University of California, Santa Barbara. She later received her M.A. in Educational Leadership from San Jose State University.

You can learn more about Tonya on her website: tonyagrahammcquade.com, including a full listing of her Emerging Civil War articles.

Meeting of April 28, 2026

The April 28th meeting at Jack’s restaurant was replaced by the following event at the Saratoga Senior Center.

High School Essay Contest

Objective: Encourage current high school students to develop an interest in the American Civil War and explore its lasting lessons that continue to shape America today.

Prizes: Monetary awards will be given to the winners.

High School Essay Contest Event

Date: Tuesday, April 28, 2026
Location: Saratoga Senior Center
Address: 9655 Allendale Ave, Saratoga, CA

Event Schedule

  • 6:30 pm – 6:45 pm — Setup & Logistics
  • 6:45 pm – 7:00 pm — Gathering & Refreshments
  • 7:00 pm – 7:15 pm — SBCWRT Welcome and Brief Overview of the Organization
  • 7:15 pm – 8:00 pm — Essay Contest Presentations, Winner Selection, Quiz, Social Gathering, and Adjournment

Quiz for April 28, 2026

High School Essay Civil War Quiz: What Do You Know About The American Civil War?

Q#1 – What is the traditional definition of a “civil war”?

Q#2 – By May 1861, 11 states had seceded from the United States; name them.

Q#3 – What was the name of the major battle that began the Civil War?

Q#4 – Who was the President of the Confederate States of America?

Q#5 – Richmond, Virginia, was the second capital of the Confederacy; what was the name of the first city to serve as the capital?

Q#6 – What was the core cause leading up to the Civil War?

Q#7 – Of the now estimated 700,000 deaths in the Civil War; what was the major cause of these deaths?

Q#8 – What was the Emancipation Proclamation?

Q#9 – What is the name of President Abraham Lincoln’s most famous speech?

Q#10 – Were any Civil War battles fought in the State of California?

Q#11 – Which battle produced the most casualties (over 53,000) in the Civil War?

Q#12 – What was the name of the town where Robert E. Lee surrendered his army to Ulysses S. Grant on April 9, 1865?

Q#13 – What is the name of the person who assassinated President Abraham Lincoln?

Q#14 – What is the name of the Vice President who became President after Abraham Lincoln was assassinated?

Q#15 – What is the number of the Amendment in the US Constitution that abolished slavery?